Demigods: Children of Olympus book 1 "Gigantomachy"

Chapter 9

Highway 15, westbound

Mojave Desert, California

Despite everything, Max couldn't help but zonk out. Curled up in the middle of the back seat of the limousine, little pig snorts counted his sleep. Alex and Chloe sat on either side of him. Dillon and Lily had folded out the side-seats into its bed form. They spooned in peaceful slumber as the car rocked back and forth from travelling the dusty road. SHO-4, an AI automaton of Gene's crafting, drove the car. With the vehicle linked-in to Gene's network the program could operate the vehicle from cyberspace.

Alex was tired. Black spots formed under his eyes, bloodshot as they were. His hair was muffled, and he hadn't yet re-buttoned his shirt back over his wife-beater. Sleeves folded up his elbow nested in the windowsill hand holding up his head. As desperate as he was for sleep, he had already let that fumble him up once this evening. He wouldn't falter twice.

Chloe, on the other hand, seemed quite alert, though she was as still as a gargoyle. Her arms were folded over her chest, legs crossed, as she looked forward blankly; not even romping her black gum around her mouth. If her face was anything it was droll. With only the highly dimmed dome lights to see, she often disappeared from vision, melding into the shadows and becoming one with the blackness at the coming and going of the interstate lights.

No music played. The TV screens were folded up. Dillon and Lily's unfolding of the seats blocked off the fridge and therefore the liquor. Only the sound of tires tripping ridges in the road and the hum of them blazing down sand-strewn asphalt filled their ears.

At least they were making good time. Gene's network was hacked into every grid in western civilization. The AI knew where all the patrol officers were, and the speed traps. Able to calculate the numbers in a flash, the program would break the speed limit from time to time.

"If you'd like to get some rest, I can keep watch," Chloe finally broke the silence.

"Where would I do that?" Alex wondered in anger. "Is there a magic bedroom in the car somewhere?"

Chloe snuffed with irritation. "Just trying to be nice, thunder-butt."

Silence governed them once again.

This time Alex broke it. With a grunting sigh he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Hands in his face he silently counted to ten before saying, "Listen, Chloe, I'm sorry. I really do appreciate the offer. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Silence.

"Your apology has been noted."

Alex leaned back into his hand, rolling his eyes. "Great. Thanks for being understanding."

"Look if you are still mad at me for the funeral...."
"I'm not mad about the funeral, Chloe."

"Then what? Why are you being such an ass?"

Alex sighed heavily. "We just found out our hiding spots are no longer hidden. My best friend tried to kill me. My foolishness got my newly discovered nephew turned into a pig. I buried my grandfather earlier today. Was almost assassinated the night before. Still waiting on the next inevitable moment Hera decides my life isn't hard enough, and tomorrow... if I get a tomorrow, I have list as long as my arm with things just as stressful that I need to attend to."

"I don't understand why you don't make Dillon take some of the workload. He gets to sit in the executive box in congress for doing nothing more that critiquing the efforts of other politicians."